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S9270P - PENTAS LANCEOLATA,
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'Kaleidoscope Pink'
The 'Kaleidoscope' Pentas series is a taller landscape series that provides
bountiful color even in the hottest conditions. Benary is proud to add 2 new
attractive colors to the 'Kaleidoscope' series, 'Kaleidoscope Pink' and
'Kaleidoscope Deep Rose'. The new 'Kaleidoscope Pink' is a delightful soft pink that combines well with the new 'Kaleidoscope Deep Rose'.
'Kaleidoscope's dense, upright, branching habit and large flower clusters draw
lots of attention in the landscape and mixed containers. The 'Kaleidoscope'
series has set a new standard for those taller landscape needs. The benefits of
this series begin at germination, the highest standard in the industry, but they
don't end there. Flowering earlier then other Pentas this size, the new
'Kaleidoscope' series reduces crop time. With short internodes and better
branching, 'Kaleidoscope' needs little or no growth regulators in the greenhouse. Abundant large flowers sit just above the foliage of 'Kaleidoscope' to maximize shipping space. All of these factors make this series a grower favorite, but the appeal doesn't stop at the grower.
At retail, 'Kaleidosope's six attractive colors and large, full flowers draw lots of attention. In the landscape 'Kaleidoscope' continues to grow, filling large plantings with color. Heat and sun loving, 'Kaleidoscope' Pentas thrive in the harshest of landscape conditions.
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TECHNICAL INFORMATION |
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| Life Cycle: | |
Annual
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| Familiy, Origin: | |
Rubiaceae, Tropic of Africa, Arabia
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| Sitelocation: | |
Full Sun
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| Garden Height: | |
45 cm
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17,72 inch
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| Crop Time: | |
Plug crop: 6 weeks; Flowering pots: 14-18, depending on pot size
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| Sell Period: | |
up to May
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| Seed Form: | |
Pelleted Seed
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| Seed Count: | |
1600 K/g
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| Sowing Time: | |
January-April
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| Sowing Method: | |
1 seed per plug
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| Germination: | |
Stage I: 10-14 days at 23-26 °C; Stage II: 7-10 days at 20-22 °C; Stage III and IV: 14 -21 days at 18-21 °C, in media with very low soluble salt levels and pH: 5.8-7.5. Requires light for germination. Do not cover seeds. In winter and spring supplemental light is recommended. Keep soil slightly moist but not wet. Avoid direct sunlight by shading seeds after sowing. For irrigation use warm water (above 18 °C) only. Temperatures below 16 °C will inhibit the germination and the growth.
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| Plug Culture: | |
From Stage II reduce the moisture, but the plug should not dry. Do not let soluble salt level rise above 0,5 EC. The roots are sensitive to high salt levels in substrates. Start fertilization at 25-50 ppm nitrogen in a well balanced formula. During Stage III and Stage IV fertilization levels can be increased up to 150-200 ppm.
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| Growing On: | |
3-4 weeks after sowing transplant 1 plant per plug tray (3x3 cm) and 6-8 weeks later transplant 1 plant into a pot (11-14 cm). Two time transplantation support the young plant quality.
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| Media: | |
Use a well-drained, growing substrate with 10-20 % clay, 0-15 % parts (e.g. coconut fibres, perlite, sand), 1-2 kg/m³ complete balanced fertilizer, 1-2 kg/m³ slow release fertilizer (3-9 months), iron-chelate, micronutrients, pH: 5.8-7.5.
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| Photoperiod / Light: | |
Day length neutral plant. Keep light level high. For the flower initiation and for the vegetative growth long day (14-16 h) is recommended. Cultivate the plants in long day with additional assimilation light (20-40 klx). Additional assimilation light will decrease the cultivation time by 2-3 weeks. Night interruption is possible. Light deficiency promotes excessive stretching of the flower stems.
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| Temperature: | |
Grow at 17-19 °C. At temperatures below 16 °C the vegetative growth is inhibited. Just before selling harden the plants. Decrease the temperature slowly. Temperatures below 10 °C will delay the flowering. Pentas does not tolerate frost.
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| Fertilization: | |
Moderate-high fertilization levels are required. Fertilize the crop weekly with 150-200 ppm nitrogen (at 1 kg/m³ slow release fertilizer in substrate), using alternating a potassium balanced fertilizer (N: K2O-ratio: 1:1,5) and a calcium nitrate fertilizer. Avoid high ammonium and high nitrogen levels.
Prevent magnesium deficiency by applying magnesium sulphate (0,025 %) 1-2 times. Check regularly pH value in substrate, because at pH above 6.0 iron deficiency (yellow edges on the leaves) can appear and at pH below 5.0 iron toxicity (necrotic spots on the leaves) can arise. In case of iron deficiency apply iron-chelate for 1-2 times and in case of iron toxicity adjust the pH in substrate with lime.
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| Cultural Hints: | |
For irrigation use warm water (above 18 °C) only, because the foliage are sensitive to cold water. Cultivate rather dry, while moist substrate and high fertilizer concentration support a stretching of the shoots. Moreover, a dry cultivation promotes the flower development. Pinching the top of the plants and a sufficient distance between the pots will improve decisively the branching and the plant quality, but the cultivation time will increase by
1-2 weeks.
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All colors
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* Germination Stages (from seed to finished young plant)
| Stage I: | Starts with the radicle breaking through the testa. The roots are touching the medium. Ends with fully developed cotyledons. |
| Stage II: | Starts from fully developed cotyledons. Ends with the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair. |
| Stage III: | Starts from the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair and ends with 80% of the young plants being marketable. |
| Stage IV: | All young plants are ready for sale and in the process of being hardened off. This stage lasts about 7 days. |
Hint
The cultural recommendations are based on results from trials conducted under Central European conditions. Different conditions in other parts of the world may lead to deviations in results achieved.
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